Wonder Woman & the Divine Feminine

http://wonderwomanfilm.com/

(WARNING:  There are some spoilers below, so I recommend bookmarking this page, watching the movie, and then returning to read.)

So I saw the new Wonder Woman movie on opening night with my wife, and we loved it. Great action, plot, writing, acting.  It was funny and serious, exciting and heartfelt.

What I loved most about the movie was the portrayal of the divine feminine.  Diana was a goddess, brought forth from Zeus in order to protect humanity from (all kinds of bad things, including ourselves), and she was absolutely devoted to that cause.  Fierce and strong in combat, uncompromising in her moral compass, and more than ready to question a group of generals who didn't seem to care that those they commanded would die while they sat safely giving orders, she was a warrior to be feared by any who would try to inflict harm.  In short, she was a protector.

This is one important aspect of the divine feminine:  Protector/Warrior.  Far from just being a masculine trait, protector is part of the divine image that is hard-wired into femininity. Think of a mother protecting her children - few, if any, things in this world are more fierce.  As a warrior, she was unrivaled, not only because of her strength, but also because of her femininity - she fought not for anger or vengeance, but ultimately for love.
(For a Christian perspective (or at least this Christian's perspective) see Genesis 1:27; Isaiah 66:13; Matthew 23:37)

Another aspect of the divine feminine seen in Wonder Woman:  Mother/Caretaker.  She was on an urgent mission to stop a great evil from destroying humanity...she keenly felt the urgency of her task.  So, as she walked the streets of London to find her adversary, she was immediately side-tracked and almost jumped with delight as she saw a little baby.  "Oh, a baby!", she exclaimed, rushing over to get a better look.  It was funny, sure, but it also exemplified something great about the divine feminine.  As a mother-figure and caretaker, she delighted in life, in innocence, in babies.  Even with her urgency, she did not have blinders on to the beauty of life all around her.

This role of lover and caretaker showed up again in the scene from the picture above.  They were very close now to her final adversary, and according to her male companions, they didn't have time to save the besieged villagers in the war zone through which they were traveling.  Nope!  Not for Diana.  She would not leave them to die, and so she was once again (seemingly) side-tracked from her mission.  She once again showed that being a protector/warrior did not prevent her from also being a mother/caretaker.  In fact, the one worked with and complimented the other.  It was beautiful to behold.

Wonder Woman also inspired those around her as:  Muse/Encourager.  One soldier boasted of his prowess on the battlefield, and then when it was time to act, he found he couldn't.  He was an obviously wounded man with scars deep down, and he was as rough as they come, yet something kept him from fighting that day.  Later that night, after the battle was won, Diana heard him singing, entertaining a group of people during a victory celebration.  She loved it, delighting once again in his humanity, the vulnerable, wounded man, who not only fought, but also sang.  When he apologized later for his failure on the battlefield, she simply praised him for his singing, praised him for that beautiful part of his soul that still clung to and remembered the love and beauty of the world.  He found healing in her words, and the next time battle came, he did not hesitate.

A final aspect of the divine feminine which I saw in Wonder Woman:  Lover/Beloved.  Diana loved deeply, universally, and personally.  Diana was continually horrified at the terrible things we do/did to each other, horrified at the darkness of humanity.  Her heart was broken time and again when she beheld such atrocities.  She also loved one man in particular, and was his beloved as well, and when he was killed, she went into a rage.  What was left but to exact revenge on any and all who had caused him to die, to destroy any and all who may one day cause harm to others?  She had seen the darkness of humanity, a darkness that lies in all of humanity, and there was only one surefire way to destroy that darkness:  eradicate humanity.  She found, however, that love was stronger than anger and hatred.  Her love guided her to see that our darkness did not define us, that despite our atrocities, we were also lovers, also beloved.

Diana's role as both lover and beloved kept her fighting to protect people, delighting in humanity, caring for people.  Her love kept her encouraging the good in people, inspiring the best in them.

The divine feminine is as aspect of God which we need and which we need to remember.  Protector/Warrior.  Mother/Caretaker.  Muse/Encourager.  Lover/Beloved.

As we are all made in the image of God, both male and female, we miss so much of who and what God is when we acknowledge only the masculine aspects of God.  The divine feminine is so deep and beautiful, protecting and compassionate, inspiring and loving.  Thanks be to God for this aspect of God.  Thank you also for all involved in Wonder Woman, for bringing us this beautiful, powerful character, and for bringing such a beautiful portrayal of the divine feminine.